đź“· MSN
The government has already recorded an average of 55 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) per day, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said on Wednesday.
In a chance interview with Palace reporters, Herbosa said the number of new infections remains a serious concern despite ramping up its testing efforts, with testing rates at 61 percent.
“We have about 59,000 people living with HIV. There’s an estimated 130,000 existing cases, which is still low for our population. But our new cases are the highest – 55 new cases per day,” Herbosa said.
“The ones that are being diagnosed are 15 years old, as young as 15, positive for HIV,” said Herbosa.
The Health Secretary explained that younger people are more open to trying new things and are more likely to be online.
HIV is the cause of the chronic sickness known as AIDS. ARV would prevent HIV from replicating within the body.
While the country has ramped up primary care services, Secretary Herbosa emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive public education campaign.
Herbosa also said that they are working with the Department of Education to figure out how to stop young people from getting HIV.
“We need to educate our youth,” said Herbosa.
A key challenge identified by Herbosa is the lack of parental consent for Antiretroviral Therapy (ARV) for minors below 18. This disproportionately affects members of the LGBTQ+ community who may be hesitant to disclose their sexual orientation to their parents. This delay in treatment can lead to full-blown AIDS, a potentially fatal stage of HIV infection.
Hence, Herbosa said that the Department of Health (DOH) is considering implementing a program that would allow those below 18 years old who have HIV to receive treatment with the approval of their physician or legal guardian.
“You imagine our highest number of HIV are people with a certain gender choice,” Herbosa said.
“Can they tell their father about their gender choice? They go missing. Then they come back, 18 years old, three years later with full-blown AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Full-blown AIDS,” Herbosa added.
Another option being considered is mirroring the system for tuberculosis treatment, where patients can purchase medication from pharmacies with a prescription if government supplies are unavailable.
Secretary Herbosa emphasized the critical role of education, particularly for young people. He cited the influence of the internet and evolving gender identities as factors contributing to the rise in cases. He called on media outlets to play a part in promoting health literacy through engaging platforms like TikTok, which young people frequent more than traditional media. (TCSP)
